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Dr. Rodolfo Arévalo, provost and vice president for academic affairs at The University of Texas-Pan American, has been named to the committee conducting a national search for a regional dean for The University of Texas System's Lower Rio Grande Valley Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC).

"I view my involvement in the search committee as an opportunity to continue input into the development of the RAHC," Arévalo said. "I am proud to be serving on this committee, and I will try to ensure that the needs and concerns of the local community are included."

The search is being conducted by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, which will have administrative oversight for the RAHC. The regional dean will be headquartered in Harlingen, will serve as the chief administrative officer of the RAHC and will oversee the four components of the RAHC in four Valley cities. He or she is expected to play a key role in the development of all components of the RAHC, including monitoring construction, recruiting and supervising staff, developing and initiating educational activities, and coordinating all other activities.

"This (regional dean) is a key position bearing considerable responsibility for the success of the RAHC, and it will be critical that the individual selected have the confidence of the community as well as the university," said Dr. James J. Young, dean of the Medical School at UTHSC-SA.

The RAHC, currently in the planning stages, will consist of a medical education facility in Harlingen for third- and fourth-year medical students, a medical research facility to be located adjacent to the UT Pan American campus in Edinburg, a smaller medical education facility in McAllen and a public health center in Brownsville.